GB WhatsApp is a modded version of the popular messaging app WhatsApp. It offers features that are not available on the official WhatsApp app, such as hiding the “last seen” status, scheduling messages, and customizing themes. However, despite its popularity, GB WhatsApp has some significant problems that users should be aware of.
What is GB WhatsApp?
GB WhatsApp is an unauthorized modified version of the original WhatsApp app. It is based on the open source code of WhatsApp but has additional features added by third-party developers. Some key features of GB WhatsApp include:
- Ability to hide “last seen”, “online” and “typing” status from contacts
- Schedule messages to be sent at a later time
- Customize chat bubbles, themes and notification colors
- Increased media sharing limit up to 50MB
- Built-in lock for chats
- Hide chats from chat screen
These additional features make GB WhatsApp an attractive choice for many users who want more customization and privacy options compared to the official WhatsApp. However, there are some significant downsides to using this mod that need to be considered.
Problem 1: Security and privacy risks
One major concern with GB WhatsApp is the security and privacy risks it poses. Since it is not developed or maintained by WhatsApp, the app cannot guarantee the same level of security as the official version. Some specific risks include:
- Potential malware and spyware – Without oversight from WhatsApp, GB WhatsApp could contain dangerous malware or spyware designed to steal user data.
- Encryption risks – The encryption implementation may be flawed, exposing chats and user data.
- No security updates – Bugs and vulnerabilities will not be fixed with security patches since it’s an unofficial app.
There have been multiple reports of security researchers finding vulnerabilities and exploits in GB WhatsApp that could allow attackers to compromise accounts. Users have also complained about seeing ads within the app, indicating the potential for data abuse.
Table showing security risks
| Risk | Description |
|---|---|
| Malware/Spyware | Code could contain dangerous malware or spyware without WhatsApp oversight |
| Encryption flaws | Encryption implementation may have flaws exposing chats & data |
| No security updates | Bugs and vulnerabilities will not get fixed |
Without the team of security experts and resources that the official WhatsApp has, GB WhatsApp poses a substantially higher security risk for users.
Problem 2: Against WhatsApp Terms of Service
Using any modded or unofficial version of WhatsApp is a violation of the WhatsApp Terms of Service. This means by using GB WhatsApp, your account could get banned by WhatsApp.
Some relevant sections from WhatsApp’s Terms of Service:
You must use our Services only as permitted by law, including applicable export and re-export control laws and regulations. You must not use our Services for any illegal or unauthorized purpose.
You must not modify, reverse engineer, decompile, create derivative works based upon, interfere with, emulate, exploit, or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services.
You must not attempt to gain unauthorized access to our Services or systems.
Since GB WhatsApp involves reverse engineering and modifying WhatsApp, it clearly violates these terms. There are regular reports of GB WhatsApp users getting their accounts banned by WhatsApp when detected.
Table showing examples of ToS violations
| Activity | Violates Terms? |
|---|---|
| Using GB WhatsApp | Yes |
| Modifying WhatsApp code | Yes |
| Reverse engineering WhatsApp | Yes |
Getting your main WhatsApp account banned can be very disruptive, so users should think twice about violating the Terms of Service before using GB WhatsApp.
Problem 3: Lack of feature updates
Since GB WhatsApp is not an official app, it does not receive regular feature updates from WhatsApp. This means any new capabilities or improvements released in the official WhatsApp app will not make it to GB WhatsApp.
Over time, this results in GB WhatsApp lacking behind the official app in terms of features. For example, when WhatsApp released the ability to send photos that disappear after viewing, this feature did not make it to GB WhatsApp for several more weeks until the third-party developers added it themselves.
Some more examples of recent official WhatsApp features that would be slow to come to GB WhatsApp:
- In-chat polls
- Profile avatars within group chats
- Admin delete privileges in groups
- Video calling for up to 32 people
Unless you are willing to miss out on the latest features, it may be better to stick with the official WhatsApp app instead.
Problem 4: Could stop working at any time
Since GB WhatsApp is unofficial and not supported by WhatsApp, there is always the possibility it could stop working at any time. For example:
- WhatsApp could release an update that blocks or disables modded apps like GB WhatsApp from working.
- The third-party developers who create GB WhatsApp could stop supporting and updating it.
- Google could remove the app from the Play Store if it violates policies.
If any of these happened, users would no longer be able to use GB WhatsApp. While the app currently works fine, its unofficial nature means there are no guarantees about its continuity or longevity. The official WhatsApp app is much more reliable in this aspect.
Table of factors that could stop GB WhatsApp from working
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp update | An update blocks modded apps like GBWhatsApp |
| No developer support | GB WhatsApp developers stop updating it |
| Play Store ban | Google bans it for violating policies |
Relying on an unsupported app like GB WhatsApp could lead to it failing to work when you need it.
Problem 5: Could lose chat history
When switching from GB WhatsApp to the official WhatsApp app, users could lose their chat history and messages.
This is because the GB WhatsApp and official WhatsApp apps store data in different formats and locations. So when you try to migrate from GB WhatsApp back to the official app, the chat history may not carry over properly.
Many GB WhatsApp users have reported losing all their chats after transferring to the official WhatsApp and being unable to restore them from backup. The different data architecture between the two apps is the key reason why chat history gets lost during this transition.
Table showing chat migration from GB WhatsApp to official WhatsApp
| App | Chat Location | Chat Format |
|---|---|---|
| GB WhatsApp | Internal GB WhatsApp folder | Modified from WhatsApp |
| Official WhatsApp | Internal WhatsApp folder | Official WhatsApp format |
Due to this difference in chat storage, the apps cannot transfer history perfectly in many cases. This results in permanent loss of conversations when moving from GB WhatsApp to WhatsApp.
Conclusion
In summary, here are the key problems to consider with GB WhatsApp:
- Poses security and privacy risks due to lack of oversight
- Violates WhatsApp Terms of Service, risking account ban
- Lacks the latest features from official app updates
- Could stop working at any time since it’s unofficial
- Migrating back to WhatsApp could lose chat history
While the additional features of GB WhatsApp may seem appealing initially, it comes with substantial downsides for privacy, security, reliability and features. For most users, the official WhatsApp app is still the best and safest option for a messaging application. But those looking for greater customization could consider more official alternatives like WhatsApp Business or Telegram as well.